Slow and steady...

by Karsten Müller
12/8/2020 – Of course, it is usually good to promote a passed pawn as fast as possible. But chess is simply not that simple, and sometimes haste indeed makes waste. The diagram position is an example. Why is it a mistake to queen the pawn immediately? And what is a better move?
Let endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller show and explain the finesses of the world champions. Although they had different styles each and every one of them played the endgame exceptionally well, so take the opportunity to enjoy and learn from some of the best endgames in the history of chess.
 
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1.e4 c5 2.e5 Nc6 3.f4 d6 4.Nf3 g6 5.Bb5 Bd7 6.Nc3 dxe5 7.fxe5 Bg7 8.Qe2 Nd4 9.Nxd4 cxd4 10.e6 fxe6 11.Ne4 Bxb5 12.Qxb5+ Qd7 13.Qxd7+ Kxd7 14.Nc5+ Kc6 15.Nxe6 Be5 16.Ng5 Rf8 17.Ke2 Kd5 18.d3 Nh6 19.Ne4 Ng4 20.h3 Nf6 21.c4+ dxc3 22.Nxc3+ Ke6 23.Be3 Nh5 24.Ne4 Nf4+ 25.Bxf4 Rxf4 26.Raf1 Rxf1 27.Rxf1 Rc8 28.Kd2 Bxb2 29.Rb1 Bg7 30.Rxb7 Bh6+ 31.Ke2 Rc2+ 32.Kf3 Rxa2 33.Nc5+ Kf7 34.d4 Ra3+ 35.Ke4 Re3+ 36.Kd5 a5 37.Ra7 Re2 38.Rxa5 Rxg2 39.Ra3 Rg5+ 40.Ke4 Bg7 41.Rf3+ Bf6 42.Nd7 Rh5 43.Nxf6 exf6 44.Ra3 Rh4+ 45.Kd5 g5 46.Kc5 h5 47.d5 g4 48.hxg4 hxg4 49.Ra4 f5 50.d6 Ke6 51.Ra7 Rh1 52.Re7+ Kf6 53.Re8 Rd1 54.Kc6 g3 55.Rg8 f4 56.d7 Kf5 57.Kc7 Ke4 Slow and steady... Of course, it is usually good to promote a passed pawn as fast as possible. But chess is simply not that simple, and sometimes being too fast is a mistake.
White to move and draw
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WhiteEloWBlackEloBResYearECOEventRnd
Ter-Saakian,G2296Kryakvin,D25770–12020B31XXVII RUS-chT Premier 20202.30

Endgame theory constitutes the foundation of chess. You realize this in striking clarity once you obtain a won endgame but in the end have to be content with a draw in the end because of a lack of necessary know-how. Such accidents can only be prevented by building up a solid endgame technique. This is Karsten Müller‘s fi rst DVD and the grandmaster from Hamburg and endgame expert, here lays the foundation for acquiring such a technique. The fi rst part of his training series can be started without any endgame knowledge, only a knowledge of the rules of chess is assumed.

Karsten Mueller in ChessBase Magazine

Do you like these lessons? There are plenty more by internationally renowned endgame expert Dr Karsten Müller in ChessBase Magazine, where you will also find openings articles and surveys, tactics, and of course annotations by the world's top grandmasters.

ChessBaseMagazine #198

CBM 193
 

 

ChessBase Magazine Extra #197

Apart from his regular columns and video lectures in ChessBase Magazine there is a whole series of training DVDs by Karsten Mueller, which are bestsellers in the ChessBase Shop.

Karsten Mueller

Karsten Mueller regularly presents endgame lessons in the ChessBase Video Portal

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Karsten Müller is considered to be one of the greatest endgame experts in the world. His books on the endgame - among them "Fundamentals of Chess Endings", co-authored with Frank Lamprecht, that helped to improve Magnus Carlsen's endgame knowledge - and his endgame columns for the ChessCafe website and the ChessBase Magazine helped to establish and to confirm this reputation. Karsten's Fritztrainer DVDs on the endgame are bestsellers. The mathematician with a PhD lives in Hamburg, and for more than 25 years he has been scoring points for the Hamburger Schachklub (HSK) in the Bundesliga.

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